2016 has come and gone, and Disney's record-setting year has come to a close. They earned a record $7+ billion over the course of the year and as unbelievable as that is, they have the chance to beat it again in 2017. They will release multiple high profile films this year branching from Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and more. Most recently, Disney has made a conscious effort to reimagine some of their classic animated features as live-action (Cinderella, The Jungle Book) and for this year they have chosen to remake one of their all-time classics, Beauty and the Beast.
Unlike some of their previous remakes, Beauty and the Beast so far appears to be the closest thing to a literal remake. Director Bill Condon has so far established a similar feel and tone to the animated film, while still including a number of synonymous moments, from the songs to the look. Now, those who are familiar with the animated classic can see more of the same with two new TV spots.
Disney (via Comicbook) released the two new spots to kick off the new year for Beauty and the Beast. They consist of mainly recycled footage, but with a few new surprises trickled in. The first TV spot (see above) features brief clips of many of the characters, with Belle (Emma Watson), Beast (Dan Stevens), and Gaston (Luke Evans) all featured. The second spot - shown below - features an extended scene of Belle meeting and talking to Lumiere (Ewan McGregor), Cogsworth (Ian McKellan).
Beauty and the Beast will go a long way in helping to determine if Disney can match the record year they just had. Not only does it have the familiarity to pull people in, but Watson is one of the most recognizable names around thanks to her Harry Potter fame. She doesn't shoulder all of the pressure, however, as she certainly has a talented supporting cast. Outside of those already mentioned, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Josh Gad, Stanley Tucci, and Emma Thompson are also joining herl.
As long as Disney sticks closely to the plot of the original film and is able to recapture some of the magic behind it, they should not have a problem turning Beauty and the Beast into a hit. That said, it does have stiff competition at the box office in March as Logan, Kong: Skull Island, Power Rangers, and Ghost in the Shell all come out in surrounding weeks. Even so, Beauty and the Beast is the only family friendly film in that group, which should give it a leg up on the competition in being one of the biggest films of 2017 early on.
Source: Disney [via Comicbook]
